"Now, Alphas, I want you to stay idle. Do whatever it is you were doing, stay normal. Blacklist, which is all here, I want you to come back to base. In the meantime, I'll be focusing on formulating a plan." The Fallen was a very prominent division, and they were definitely well armed. The Cell was outmatched, outclassed, outgunned, and outnumbered, but that didn't mean they weren't going to try. "I want all of you to invest in stealth gear. Be quick and light on your feet. Suppressors on all of your weapons. If shit hits the fan, I've still some medical supplies but that's about it. We're a group of five. Austin, you can pick two to three people to be with you on your missions. Either way, we need tightly packed teams. Gentlemen, we are treading in a minefield. Make sure you know what you're doing."

So many things that could go wrong, but he couldn't show that to those around him. He couldn't show that to the Alphas, who were listening. In this moment, they needed an inspiration. They needed words to sweep them off of their feet; they needed something to light a fire under their bellies. And the coming war was just that. "This is the Blacklist, signing off to move on the Social Zone. Stay safe Cell," He turned off the transmission and let out a deep breath. Announcing they were moving on the zone should motivate them all. Who was he kidding? Their odds were shit, but it was worth a shot.

With Austin's weapons clean, his craving for quality food starting to kick in again, so he grabbed an energy bar from his backpack. With a mouthful, he asked, "Head out now?"

"Yeah. Let's do this." He smiled, slinging his PDW to his arm and motioning for the door.

Austin waved for John to follow. Skylar, Austin, John, and maybe even Wilson would be enough to take down an army. He unlocked the front door and pushed on out with the other two at his heels. The abandoned apartment they resided always bugged him a bit, like the whole building may collapse at any minute. It was wreck but had an unseen lust behind it. The thought that it may be the place where a world changing plan would be made gave him a feeling of hope. Wilson was outside on watch when Austin called his name, "Wilson. We're investigating a social zone. Feel free to come."

"I'm fine. Somebody needs to watch this place right?"

"True that brother." Austin turned around as he finished that sentence, hearing running and a distant "Hold up!" He turned quickly, gun ready to blast someone. It was just her, that blondey that was always running late.

"Jesus I nearly blasted your head off Leanna."

"Sorry! I just got off doing recon on that clothing store. I got lots of warm clothes, and, if I do say so myself, some fucking delicious Twinkies."

"Good thing is those never ever expire," Wilson chipped in.

"Well at least you're here in time for us to raid it," Austin never seemed to be able to stay mad at her: the completely opposite end of the spectrum when it came to the others.

"I heard over my radio you guys were going at it, well I'm ready. Let me just run these supplies upstairs."

"Lemme help you," Austin tailed her inside. "Run into anyone on your run?"

"Nah, it was pretty quiet. Just the standard civilians." She grabbed more ammo from her carbine, as she was the Blacklist's sharpshooter. Helluva shot; best most of them had seen.

"Shall we?" Austin opened the door for the two.

"We shall." She walked out first with Austin following close behind.

He walked down street level and saw everyone waiting to move out. Everyone seemed to have anxiety smeared across their faces. "Let's move out folks. Keep it spread out thin on the streets. I don't want any surprises."

"Aye, aye captain." John barked back. Ever since high school, John and Austin were constantly busting each other's balls. The two were incredibly close and Austin seemed to be one of the few people John would break silence for.

The groups went several blocks with no trouble, reaching the Upper East Side. The areas around Central Park were teaming with the virus, which of course brought Cleaners. How he hated the Cleaners, those flamethrower bastards destroying everything, thinking they are "destroying" the virus.

"Upper East, A." Jay warned.

"I hear you. Masks on people. Level four contamination coming up." The agents equipped their masks and were ready for whatever cleaners waiting around each corner.

Leanna moved up within five feet of Austin, blatantly ignoring his order to spread thin, but he liked her company, "So, Central Park, huh Austin?"

"Guess that's where we're heading according to Skylar."

"You don't seemed too thrilled with this mission."

"What makes you say that? I always love a good mission."

"I hear it in your voice. This isn't a good mission and you know it."

"Is it that obvious?"

"Probably not to the other guys, but a woman can tell these kind of things. What's bugging you about it so much?" She was now walking almost shoulder to should with him, coming up on a large apartment complex a few streets outside Central Park.

"I just don't like the thought of having to rip the supplies out of the hands of an infected. I get they're… gone in the head, but they're still human, you know? Flesh and bones like us."

"Sometimes we just have to do what we have to do. Viruses like these are a true test of survival of the fittest. Like Jay said, not everyone is going to play fair like us."

"I guess you have a point."

"I know I have a point Mr. Kennedy."

"Whatever you say Ms. Johnson." He said laughing. Maybe this mission was not as bad as he made it out to be. Like his father repeated ad nauseam: "10% is what happens, 90% is how you react." God he missed him.

"Hey, just a request, can you two spread out so we don't get flanked and gunned down? Thanks." Jay snapped at the two and they went back to their formation.

Mason held up a fist and spoke into his earpiece, "Hold up. I got movement." They all took a knee and trained their guns up the street. Puffs of smoke were coming from the end of the street. They all knew what was coming as Mason motioned to pile into the apartments. John kicked the door open and covered the entrance as the team piled inside.

Skylar whispered, "Fucking cleaners. Always butting into other's shit."

"Amen brother," Jay responded quietly. He crouched and went to the next room to keep watch of the street. Austin looked at him and gave a hand signal him and Leanna were going to the roof. He nodded back.

Austin and Leanna went prone on the roof and watched the street, "How's the shooting today?"

Leanna looked at him smugly, "Great as always." She put on her long range scape and pulled down her bipod.

"Good. This is going to be a long day."